From Emma Darwin to H. E. Darwin [6 April 1866]

My dearest Body

This is to be a leisurely letter. Papa is poorly with a cold; not one on the chest however so that I hope it will not last long. He is going to bed again & I can sit & prse. This is the first decent day we have had for more than a week. The weather has been cold showers & no sun. Today bright sun & North wind. By the way it is a pity you did not take a Therm. with you. It w^d have been amusing. I suppose you c^d not buy one. M^rs B. C. & Sibella called yesterday to hear & tell news. Elinor's letter expressed fears that you w^d find it dull, so I read your description of the gardens & told her about that lovely walk you took to reassure her. You realy must have been a very great comfort to both the poor ladies. It is an odd thing but I believe English congregations abroad are very apt to be crazy about their clergyman. Miss Pock. sounds an extra goose. why must she insist upon your being zealous too. M^rs B. C. seemed to think you really w^d have left Cannes on Wed. & she had written to Menton. Sibella actually changed her seat to sit by Lizzy & talk to her but the conversation did not flow much I am afraid. I will keep your letter for W^m & G. tomorrow. It was extra well written. Papa c^d not express his contempt for my caution in not sending it on to Aunt S.

I was dismayed today at finding I had forgotten Harry Richardson till after Uncle Frank was gone, when before that he w^d have been very harmless. He must come today however or not at all & I can tell the boys very truly that it will be the last time Lenny & Horace went with Uncle F. this m^g. to meet Barrat at the station & go with him after lathes. They went yesterday to call on M^r Reed. Those 2 are in a very sky larking state which is satisfactory.

I have paid for the fan & have got the bill from Dickins £1–15.

The moiré figured gown turns out too gorgeous & like a damask table cloth & I shall change it. Georgina F. says the cattle plague has entirely stopped M^r Wicksteds rents & he has only 800 a year at present. He is going to sell his harriers &c I am afraid it will also affect G. & Ellen. as all their money is in mortgage on the Betley estate & they certainly will not endure to put him to great inconvenience. Ellen is at Freyston with Carlyle Huxley &c—

I introduced Jamaica just for the fun of hearing what M^r Innes w^d say & Ch. not being present to go into a passion ""Oh it is a comfort to think they all descried it &c. I asked him if he w^d hang M^r Bright & he cordially agreed. However he was joking all the time.

Aunt Jessie is so unwell that I don't think they will be coming up soon to No 4. Lucy is to be bridesmaid early in June to Miss Fraser. Lizzy is very industrious & wants to have breakfast at 8 but as she can hardly get down by 8.30 I doubt its being worth while. She takes her last at Bickley tomorrow & repeated 6 pages of ""Reformation"" quite fluently to me today. After we come from London she will meet M^lle Barrellier at the White Hart Bromley. Sat. your little serap just arrived. It puzzled me to an idiotic extent thinking how it got into Em's hands. I do not wonder at so feeble a person as Miss S. being very slow in recovering so I hope you will keep up your hearts. I am very glad Elinor is better. The boys bought the lathe very satisfactorily yesterday under Barrat's auspices. £23 for the simplest sort. B. drives it down on Monday & we will order the new sashes for the drawing room. Harry Rich. went off well & Punch & many games of 3 handed Dominos helped off the evening till W^m arrived.

G. comes today & Parslow & pony carriage go & fetch him. He is not very sanguine & says he did not do well in one of his papers. Papa has a regular heavy cold with pain all over the back like Lizzy had. I am so glad you are well goodbye my dear. My head has been stouter than for a long time. I believe Brandy twice a day does me good. I don't think we shall get to London on Wed. as intended.